Daniel Suarez hails Kyle Busch as 'the Michael Jordan of NASCAR' in emotional interview

Coca-Cola 600 winner Daniel Suarez has called Kyle Busch 'the Michael Jordan of NASCAR', in an interview after his emotional win in Charlotte on Sunday.

The Coke 600 was the first race since the sudden passing of the racing legend at the age of 41, with dozens of tributes to Busch throughout the weekend as the NASCAR family grappled with the news of his death.

Suarez was one of the most fitting winners possible at the end of a dramatic, rain-shortened event, as a former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, then later a team-mate of Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing.

He also credited Busch with continued support when he first moved to the US from Mexico to take his racing career to the next level, giving weekly advice about tracks he hadn't yet run.

Suarez: Busch was such a good person

Speaking to People this week, he said: "Just a week ago I was hanging out with Kyle and he seemed perfectly fine, and right now he's not here with us anymore. It's very surreal how things were happening."

"Obviously, he was very loved and very respected by the entire NASCAR community," he added. "And a lot of people didn't know this about Kyle, but he was just such a good person and somebody that really loved to help.

"He didn't really have to help me, and he gave me a hand when I needed it the most. To have a legend like Kyle give me advice pretty much on a weekly basis for an entire year was extremely helpful, and I realized what kind of person he was."

"It's very important to spread the message," he explained, "because he was such a good person behind closed doors."

Calling him 'the Michael Jordan of NASCAR',Suarez added: "His legacy is going to live forever. He's broken so many records in the sport, extremely talented driver, very outspoken on the things he believes in and he was always himself. That's the beautiful about human beings, right, that we all are different, and he never changed. He was always himself."

What caused Kyle Busch's death?

On Saturday, the Busch family confirmed that Kyle had suffered from pneumonia, which developed into severe sepsis.

"The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," a family statement read.

"The family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time."